Chapter 15: Left In Charge

Elara sat on the windowsill of her room, rereading the letter in her hands. Her father’s handwriting was messy, like he’d rushed through it.

Elara, are you well? Are they treating you right? I heard rumors about Vareth. Please write back. I miss you.

She sighed.

Emily was sitting on the floor across from her, sorting herbs for lessons later. “Another letter from home?”

“Yeah,” Elara said. “He’s worried. I haven’t even told him half of what’s happening here.”

Emily smiled a little. “Maybe it’s better he doesn’t know.”

Maybe. Or maybe she just didn’t want to give him a reason to drag her out of Vareth.

Elara folded the letter and tucked it into the side drawer.

Then she looked back at Emily… and something kept bothering her.

Emily always looked soft, harmless even. But even the shadows listened when she spoke. People gave her too much space when they passed her in the hall. And yesterday, Elara had seen a guard flinch at just seeing her walk by.

“Elara,” Emily said suddenly, “you’re staring.”

“Right,” she muttered. “Sorry. It’s just… you’re really good with magic. And people here treat you like you’re dangerous.”

Emily froze for a second.

Then she calmly said, “People talk too much.”

That wasn’t an answer.

Elara pushed gently. “Emily… what exactly did you do before I came here?”

Emily didn’t look up from the herbs. “Nothing worth repeating.”

That was a lie. A big one.

Before Elara could say more, a knock came at the door, and Kalaen stepped in.

He looked between the two of them, sensing the tension. “Everything okay?”

Emily nodded quickly. “Fine.”

Kalaen raised a brow — he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t argue.

Then Elara tried again.

“Kalaen,” she said quietly. “What happened in Emily’s past?”

Emily stiffened instantly.

Kalaen’s expression changed. Not angry. Not annoyed.

Just… careful.

“That’s something no one talks about,” he said. “And for good reason.”

Elara blinked. “Why?”

Kalaen glanced at Emily before answering.

“Because her past isn’t just dark,” he said. “It’s the kind of story that makes grown men sick. It’s not my place to tell it.”

Emily slowly stood, brushing off her hands. She didn’t deny it. Didn’t argue. Didn’t make excuses.

She only said, “I’ll tell you… when I’m ready.”

Elara nodded, even though her curiosity burned hotter now.

Kalaen softened his voice. “Until then, you should trust her. If Emily is on your side, you’re safer than you think.”

Emily let out a small breath. Maybe relief. Maybe warning.

Then she forced a smile. “Come on. Let’s keep training. You’ll forget all this once you set something on fire again.”

Elara laughed a little, but the question stayed in her mind.

What happened to you, Emily?

And why did Kalaen say her past was darker than anything… even darker than the devil himself?

Kalaen stayed behind after Elara excused herself to rest. The room finally felt quiet, but his mind wasn’t. He leaned back in the chair, rubbing his hands over his face as if that could slow everything down.

He kept seeing the shadow hands reaching for her.

He kept seeing how close he came to losing her.

Damn it.

He wasn’t supposed to care this much.

Emily walked in, wiping her hands on a cloth. “She’s fine. Just exhausted.”

“I know.” Kalaen’s voice came out low. “Still didn’t like how fast that thing went for her.”

Emily paused, giving him a long look—one that made him feel too seen.

“You’re getting attached,” she said simply.

Kalaen glared at her. “I’m doing my job.”

“Uh-huh.”

He pushed up from the chair and started pacing. “It’s not— Look, she almost died twice today. Anyone would be on edge.”

“Sure,” Emily replied. “But you’re not ‘anyone.’ And you keep staring at her like she’s something you want to protect instead of something you were assigned to protect.”

Kalaen stopped moving.

He didn’t answer.

He couldn’t.

Emily leaned against the wall. “Be careful. Feelings complicate things.”

“You’d know,” Kalaen muttered without thinking.

But instead of snapping, Emily went quiet. A little too quiet.

He blinked. “What?”

Emily folded the cloth slowly. “You ever wonder about my past? Why people don’t mention it?”

Kalaen frowned. “No one likes talking about it. That’s all I know.”

“That’s because there’s nothing pleasant in it,” Emily said. “Enough darkness to make even the devil pause.” She let out a breath. “When I’m ready, maybe I’ll tell her. Or maybe she’ll hear it from someone else. But not now.”

Kalaen studied her. Emily wasn’t dramatic. She didn’t exaggerate. If she said her past was bad… it was bad.

“Just… don’t let her get dragged into anything,” Emily added. “She’s already on thin ice with the Watchers returning. And now Azael is acting strange. If the world starts connecting dots…”

“I won’t let anything touch her,” Kalaen said before he could stop himself.

Emily raised an eyebrow. “There it is.”

Kalaen cursed under his breath and sat back down. “Fine. Maybe I’m—maybe I’m starting to feel something. I don’t know what. But it doesn’t matter. My job is to keep her alive.”

“And what if the job turns into wanting her alive for your own reasons?” Emily asked.

Kalaen didn’t answer.

He didn’t need to.

The truth was already sitting heavily in his chest.

He was falling. Slowly, stupidly, and against every rule he was raised with.

And the worst part?

He wasn’t sure he wanted to stop.